City adds swings and more to Huidekoper improvements

Apr. 23—Huidekoper Park should be back in the swing of things by September.

Meadville City Council last week approved nearly $200,000 in additional funding for the major renovation project underway at the park. The funding will be used to add 11 items to the long list of improvements in the park, which is located on Williamson Road.

In introducing the proposal, City Manager Maryann Menanno emphasized one feature to be added in particular.

"These do include the addition of a swing set," she told council.

The $199,030 change order was possible because of additional funding remaining from the grant that is paying for the upgrades, according to Menanno. The city received the money through the federal pandemic-related funding for the Community Development Block Grant program, which targets areas of low to moderate income.

"There's additional funding left in the CDBG-CV grant that the city received via the county for Huidekoper Park improvements. There were some additional items ... that we decided, based on some additional feedback from the contractor and community members, that needed to happen at the park."

In addition to swings, the added work includes removal of trees and cleanup of stumps near the pavilion and other areas; a trail from the parking lot to Fairmont Avenue; removal and restoration of a parking area near the corner of Plateau Drive and Williamson Road; regrading of a play area and reorientation of cornhole and horseshoe courts; as well as the addition of a grill and four-socket outlet.

The work comes in addition to a $1.35 contract with XL Excavating Inc. of Cambridge Springs approved by council last year. The added work is not expected to affect the projected completion date of Sept. 1.

Council members voted 3-0 in favor of the change order at their April 16 meeting. Deputy Mayor Larry McKnight and Councilwoman Autumn Vogel did not attend the meeting.

Council next meets May 7 at 6 p.m. in the City Building, 894 Diamond Park.

Mike Crowley can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at mcrowley@meadvilletribune.com.